This Master's Thesis focuses on the racial issues as they are depicted in Langston Hughes's novel Not Without Laughter and a collection of short stories The Ways of White Folks. It defines the connection between the Harlem renaissance and American modernism. The analysis has its base in the theoretical input, which elaborates on the position of the African-American community within American society. Based on the findings and the theoretical input, the conclusion of the thesis summarizes Langston Hughes' depiction of racial issues in his prose.